The Magic We Share
by HisBrokenAngel91
Summary: Hermione and Harry live with a widowed Remus and his son Teddy, life is normal, for a while, with one exception, the budding relationship of the resident bookworms. Then the impossible happens, because of the Magic they share. Eventual Remus/Hermione/Sirius triad.
1. Prologue

A/N: Another of my half baked brain children at this point now with 3 in progress stories I'm probably biting off far more than I can chew, but I don't control my muse, my muse controls me. So I hope you like it.

**Warning: **This story, like all my others is rated M for a reason, please don't read this if your a child. There will be adult language, scenes of a sexual nature, descriptions of torture, and probably a few other triggers. You have been warned, you can't say that you weren't.

here will likely be Ron bashing in this story, I'm not going to apologize for it, I write what I write how I want to write it. Its my story and therefore my prerogative.

Aside from that, please enjoy.

The Broken

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Prologue

The war was over, they had won. Harry had come out of the forest alive but feigning death, Neville had surprised everyone when he had stepped forward and spoke directly against Voldemort, effectively breaking the silencing charm that had been cast over the crowd of students and Order members alike as they faced the Wizarding World's greatest threat since Grindelwald. He'd gone still further, pulling the sword of gryffindor and beheading the foul snake by the Dark Lord's side removing their last obstacle. The the duel to decide their fate raged, Harry sprang from his prone position and killed the psychopath, for he could hardly be called a man, that had been torturing and terrorizing them for decades in his quest for immortality and power. Voldemort was finally, truly, irrevocably dead, and yet they had lost so many.

A mourning Remus and Andromeda, holding a small sleeping bundle with turquoise hair, Tonks at their feet, long mousy brown hair spread beneath her, her face so serene that she could almost have been sleeping but for the cold, lifeless pallor of her skin. The Weasley's were holding their own vigil a huddle of fiery red hair, around Percy, who had finally shown his Gryffindor bravery giving his own life to save Fred as a wall came crashing down towards him in one of the many battle ravaged halls of the pace they'd all at one point called home. Arthur held Molly who's heartbreaking wails had long since died down to near silent sobs. Parvati cried unable to be separated from the bodies of her best friend and twin sister, the unfortunate victims of a feral Greyback, to get treated for her own battle wounds. And there were so many more, bodies were everywhere, friend and for alike, as all those who had died in the final conflict were carried or elevated into what remained of the Great Hall. But for all those they had lost, a few injured were taken to the Hospital Wing and St. Mungo's, and far more were those who had been saved, spared, the safe and cared for all over the country.

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A/N: Hope you liked the prologue please leave a review, I'd love to know what you think.

Love Always,

The Broken


	2. Chapter One: To Save A Life

A/N: I've posted this at the same time as the other chapter because there's a good chance I'm in a random generous mood, don't question it just enjoy.

The Broken

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Chapter One: To Save a Life

After the battle was over, in the chaos of the cleanup Harry had grabbed the still quite shell-shocked Hermione and dragged her through the passage beneath the Whomping Willow to the Shrieking Shack, explaining in a rather rushed way about Professor Snape. The memories he had been given and what exactly they had contained, he knew beyond a doubt that she would believe him. When they reached the large black clad form of their former Potions Professor; a man who had given everything, his entire adult life, as a pawn to two unyielding masters to make sure that the Light, that Harry, would succeed; they were sure they were too late as he lay there a large unyeildig pool of blood spread around him.

Digging through her small beaded bag with one hand and frantically searching for a pulse with the other, the smallest flutter registered under her fingertips and Hermione sighed in relief. _I might just have time enough to save him, at least until he can get some real help._ She thought as she found her dittany, magical bandages and a few vials of blood replenishing potion. Working as fast as she could she conjured a bowl and filled it with water cleaning the wound on his neck where Nagini had bitten him before liberally pouring dittany on it. It didn't stitch together, not that she had expected it to, she wrapped it with the bandages, using a fair few of them as wadding to add pressure, to staunch the relentless flow of blood falling to the dust covered floor. She huffed as she flipped him getting him as flat as she could on his back, Hermione tilted his head back and forced the blood replenishers past his lips, massaging his throat so they would go down.

When she was finished she sent a patrons to the only person she could think of who would listen to what they had to say, and believe them. Who would make sure the surly man would get the proper medical care, his wasn't the first injury of this kind after all. The friends began their wait Harry sitting to her side as she knelt in the coagulating puddle of blood surrounding the Professor. Hermione checked Snape's pulse every couple minutes praying to Merlin, Morgana, and all the Powers That Be, that she had been fast enough, that what she'd done to try to preserve his life had been enough. She didn't begin to breathe easy until she felt it get stronger and steadier, the potions were working, and she leaned into Harry for support, tired from all the exertion of the day. And she sighed, she'd saved him, for now.

The silence of the decrepit house should have been unnerving of deafening in its absoluteness, yet it was strangely comforting after the chaos of the previous 24 hours. They sat there, needing no words, just holding onto one another as they comforted each other, the one absolute constant in the other's life. No matter how bad it had gotten, they'd stuck through all of it. Together.

Their bubble of silent bliss was burst by the sound of more than one set of heavy, rapid footsteps ringing in the air around them. They leapt to their feet wands drawn, and almost immediately lowered as Remus and Professor McGonagall burst through the doorway and into the room.

"What's going on? Are you alright? Why did you want us to meet you here of all places? Everyone is worried, you-" Remus' rapid fire rant of questions cut off abruptly and he spotted the familiar, pale, black clad body on the ground behind the two teens and quickly took note of their decidedly protective stance in front of it, wands ever at the ready just to their sides.

"Before you say, or do, anything Professors, please, let me explain, preferably without interruption." Harry's voice was calm, his tone, almost soothing. (Sometimes it was still a wonder to Hermione how mature he could be when it was called for, even when she knew, inside, he was barely holding it together.) Remus gave him a quick, curt nod, his spine held straight and stiff, arms folded across his chest, a look of thinly veiled suspicion and skepticism on his face. McGonagall decided, in appearance at least, to give the duo the benefit of the doubt, tucking her wand into the folds of her robe, quirking a single questioning eyebrow, leaning against her walking stick, and waved her hand in front of her as if to say, "proceed".

"Professor Snape was only ever working under Dumbledore's orders the entire time. He fooled us all into believing he was a traitor because that's exactly what Dumbledore told him to do." Harry began pausing to take a deep breath, "I ran into the Professor here, before everything really started, he never expected to survive I'm sure, I doubt he even wanted to knowing what he did. Voldemort," there was a flinch at the name and both teens rolled their eyes, "sent his snake, the foul thing, and he saved me, just like he has been all along, ever since I came to this school, just like he promised he would when my mom died. He loved her, right up to the end. He gave me his memories, before he lost consciousness, in them is more than enough evidence to have him exonerated and prove his innocence." Harry paused once again to take a breath. "I am willing to give hand them over to the proper authorities, whatever official I need to, only if he received proper, and immediate medical attention." The elder witch standing in front of them nodded her head in understanding, waiting for them to continue, knowing Hermione had still to say her piece.

The young brunette, who had been silent up to that point, took a small step forward, clearing her throat slightly she began her own small speech, "Harry brought me here when everything was starting to calm down, when everyone was either working, or mourning." She sent a pointed look to Remus her sorrow evident in her clear chestnut gaze. "He told me everything, the memories, their contents, after everything we've been through, I believe its true. I knew why he brought me here, and to be honest, when we got here, I thought we were too late. I did everything I could with what I had the second I felt even a hint of a pulse. I bound the wound as best i could with magical bandages and gave him some blood replenishing potions, but I couldn't actually heal him. Right now he's alive, but it was a near miss. He needs to go to St. Mungo's, he was bitten by the same snake that attacked Mr. Weasley the other Christmas, they should know how to fix the bite." She finished taking a deep breath and nodding sharply to the two adults in front of her before going silent once more and stepping back to Harry's side.

"Remus, you go ahead and tell all the right people, I will get Severus to the hospital. Harry, Hermione, I give you my word that nothing will happen to him, and that I will make sure he gets seen to by someone trustworthy, but you need to get back to the castle. Everyone is frantic that you've gone missing, some of the Death Eaters escaped in the chaos, and they're worried that something may have happened to you two." McGonagall said waving them to the side and flicking her re-drawn wand to levitate the unconscius form behind them, soiled black cloth still draped over him. The nodded and followed the werewolf out of the shack, taking the familiar tunnel. They held onto one another's hands, their silent show of solidarity.

They tread slowly across the blackened lawn to the castle in a solemn silence. They knew, from this point, their words, their very actions, no matter how small or innocuous, over the next few months would determine so many things that would change the world around them. For right now though they just wanted one night, one night where they wouldn't be judged, one night where they could mourn, one night to grieve for everything they had lost. Just one night to celebrate their lives, to hold those try loved close, to sleep. One night of peace before they were thrown back into the proverbial fire of public scrutiny; before the trials, the funerals, the hounding of the press, and the efforts to rebuild in the aftermath of the war. Fixing everything piece by piece so that, hopefully, they could live normals lives, for the first time since either of them had first stepped foot in the Wizarding World. So they could live freely without having to look over their shoulders, worried that every moment could very likely be their last.

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A/N: Hope you liked it, please leave a review, I enjoy what you guys think, it also helps me improve as a writer, which I'm always trying to do.

Love Always,

The Broken


	3. Chapter Two: Nightmares

A/N: Thank you all for the favorites and follows a special thank you goes out to **roon0** for the lovely reviews.

Warning before you read this chapter contains descriptions of torture. I'd suggest not reading this story in general if it makes you uncomfortable because this will not be the only time it's mentioned/discussed or described.

Hope you enjoy, thank you all for reading.

The Broken

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Chapter Two: Nightmares

That night Harry and Hermione got permission to stay in Gryffindor Tower, having declined Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's offer to let them come back with the family to stay at the Burrow. It was too crowded and the two of them needed, wanted, the peace and quiet, the solitude that the empty castle tower could offer them. They also felt they would be intruding, the large family needed to mourn, on their own. They did promise however that they would swing by at some point to visit the the next day. After all, Hermione thought, we shouldn't impose upon them yet, they need to heal together, as a family, without extra bodies. Even if they consider us a part of it, this is a time that should be just for them. She curled up on the large sofa in front of the fireplace in the Common Room. How many times had she accidentally fallen asleep right here, in this very spot, over the years long after everyone else hwqd gone to bed, too focused on cramming as much information as she could into her notes and assignments to follow them to her dorm. How often had her, Ron, and Harry made plans, fought, laughed, cried, studied, played games, debated, and celebrated major events right here in front of this fire. She had made her first real lifelong friends, had so many good times, had gathered a family for herself, right from this couch.

Harry had gone up to the room in the boys dormitory that he had shared for six years with the first of his friends. Six long years, secrets were shared, plans were made, and fights were had in that room, a lot of which she had been there for. Hermione figured he needed the familiarity of old times as much as she did. The comfort of the memories, both good and bad, all of the things that had brought them closer together, before everything had completely gone to pot. She pulled the afghan off the back of the couch and over her small frame, the exhaustion that had just built and built over the last year finally catching up with her, she fell asleep the moment her eyes fluttered closed.

_**Her every nerve felt electrified, her arm burned, and her throat was raw from her screaming and crying at the onslaught of pain and sheer terror, yet never loud enough to drown out the cackling maniacal laugh of the demented witch carving into her flesh with the cursed blade. She had already lost so much blood and was getting supremely light headed, the pain was the only thing keeping her conscious as it was, staying at the very surface of her mind, she was more aware of it than anything else around her but the crazed woman straddling her. She plead weakly, mouth dry, lips cracked and split, "Please, we found it, I don't know what you want, please we don't have anything, we didn't take anything, we just found it." Another flash of red light hit her prone form and her screams renewed, in a flood of adrenaline as the curse coursed through her body, finding her waning voice and her body grew taut, bent, arched, and contorted under the torture.**_

_**"You lying, filthy, little bitch! I know you were in my vault! What else did you steal from me you horrid little Mudblood?" Bellatrix screamed at her, spittle landed on her face in the psychotic woman's rage, her rotten breath filling the young witch's nose as she struggled to breathe.**_

_**Ron's distant screams of her name rang in her ears, from somewhere far beneath her limp body. She knew she was going to die here, on what she was sure used to be a meticulously taken care of pristine, probably priceless, antique oriental rug, in what had probably been at one time a grand, light, and airy; but now, so very dark and twisted, drawing room. Nobody knew where they were, that hadn't told anyone where they were going or what they were doing, nothing. There was nobody to save them this time. Then the blade was back, the cursed knife biting deep into the soft flesh of her left forearm and she was screaming again, hearing Ron's calls of her name renew with fervor. No, that couldn't be Ron, he was floors and floors beneath her and the voice was wrong and far, far too close; impossibly close, yet no less frantic, and her body was being shaken...**_

"Hermione, wake up, it's over, you're safe. Come on, wake up!" The voice from her dream said, sounding scared, strong hands gently shaking her. Hermione jolted awake disoriented, panting, eyes wide in fear, she forgot for a moment where she was aware of nothing but the sound of a terrified scream. In a split second she was on her feet, wand drawn, Harry stood in front of her his hands open in front of him, showing her that he was unarmed and not a threat to her before she registered that the shrill scream was coming from her.

She collapsed back onto the couch, perching on the center cushion and pulled her knees up to her chest, her wand dropping to the floor, and she buried her face in her arms before she let the tears gathering behind her eyes fall. The sofa sank as Harry sat next to her, pulling her small body into his arms and held her.

"It's alright Mi, you're safe, I'm here, I have you. It was just a nightmare, let it out." He whispered as he rocked her slightly, stroking her wild mahogany curls. "Just breathe Mi, I'm right here, I have you." She began to calm down as she sank into the solid comfort of her best friend's embrace. His presence on that sofa with her, his scent, reaffirming that they made it, they had won. He was here, with her, he would always be there. He was her one unwavering constant in a world full of chaos and death, her brother in all but blood, and he was safe. They were alive, they were together, it had all been worth it, in the end, the pain and torture would fade in time. But she didn't think she could have survived if she had lost him. Her sobs slowly died out and her breath evened out, he stopped rocking her as her shaking subsided, the hand stroking her mass of hair turned to play with the end of a single wild lock and she looked up at him wiping the drying tears from her puffy, red eyes.

Hermione met his steady emerald gaze, a small, sad smile touched the corners of her mouth. "Thank you Harry, you always know when I need you, and what to say when it matters the most."

He chuckled, "You're the smart one, I'm just the unlucky guy you got stuck being friends with back in first year on Halloween." The ever interfering self-deprivation, he often felt when praised, rose to the surface of his soothing tone.

Hermione's smile turned into a frown her brows coming together creasing her forehead. She adjusted in her seat so that she could face him more fully, pinning him to silence with the fire in her whiskey orbs. "Harry James Potter, you should know better by now. How many times do I have to tell you, books and cleverness don't count for everything. Harry listen to me okay," her tone had turned serious so he simply nodded continuing to meet her piercing stare. "You have heart, you're honest, and caring, and so very, very loyal, you love with everything you have, and you never do anything that's truly important by halves no matter what you have to suffer to do it. You aren't just some poor sod I became friends with one unlucky night years ago. No Harry for years now you've been so very much more, you are my brother, my heart and soul above anyone else who may enter my life. You're the Fred to my George." She sobbed out a laugh remembering the countless times she had reprimanded the two wizards while secretly admiring the sheer talent and skill they put in their pranks. "You've always been there, been able to make me feel better when everything around us has gone to shit. You're the one person who has unwaveringly and unfailingly been there for me and with me, through everything, all of it, the good and the bad. Even when I felt my heart was breaking, you stayed right by my side. You are by far the absolutely most important person in my life." She squeezed his free hand and fell silent letting him absorb her words.

As he held her gaze he saw in their golden depths, the truth of them. He couldn't deny that the same held true for him, the two of them had been through all of it together, never once had either of them ever considered leaving. No matter how hard it got, and it had certainly gotten hard, then ever bloody harder before it ended. They had stuck together fighting through all the pain and angst, they had been each others sole comfort and source of light in a time when all they knew was darkness.

"You're right Mi." He finally conceded, smiling softly at her. He settled back into the couch pulling her with him, still playing with that single stray lock of hair, arm now settled over her shoulders as she relaxed, leaning into his side. "So, do you want to tell me about it?" He asked, his tone low and comforting, harboring no judgment, asking her to share her pain with him while making it clear that she didn't have to if she wasn't ready.

Hermione heaved a sigh, "I was back on the floor of that drawing room in Malfoy Manor. Bellatrix was torturing me for information I didn't have at the time, as you know, carving that stupid word into my arm. I could feel it, the pain, the fear, the hopelessness. I heard everything, Ron screaming my name from whatever dungeon they had you in beneath me, my sobs and pleading, the awkward shuffling of the people who stood there in silence, watching her mutilate me, and I heard that mad woman's cackle as she tried to break me, enjoying every sickening second of my screams. I smelled the copper of my blood on the rug under my contorted body, the dust in the air of the old room, subtle hints of cologne from one of the corners, the acidic tinge of my vomit on the floor and in my hair, and I smelled that bitch's foul breath in my face as she screamed at me to tell her where we'd gotten the sword, what else we had taken from her. I was reliving that memory, every painstaking detail, before you woke me up. Thank you for that by the way. Being back there, if only in my mind, going through it again, was almost worse than suffering it the first time, as if everything that has happened since that moment was a dream in my failing mind as she drove me slowly insane and I had never actually left, as though I was still there, on that floor." She shivered at the dark thought before tiltingbher head up to look at him. There was a look of intense concentration on his face as he stared into the dying fire in front of them.

Hermione watched as the line slowly left his face, smoothing completely before he turned to look at her only for shock to flit across his features as she found her already staring at him. She almost saw the mental shrug as his features turned neutral again. "Would you feel better if you stayed with me tonight?" He asked simply.

She turned the thought over for a moment in her mind. Having shared a tent with him for the better part of a year it did seem natural, they had after all come to rely solely on one another for comfort and safety. She nodded and he pressed a light kiss to her brow before nudging her over and getting to his feet. He held his hand out to her to help her off of the plush overstuffed couch. Harry led her up the stairs to the room she had often snuck into over the years to visit him and Ron, the five four-poster beds spread around the room, the sight so familiar she almost wanted to laugh. Three of them still had a variety of personal effects strewn haphazardly on and around them. Their residents were gone, with their families right now, they'd likely be back to collect their things over the next few days as things settled down; but for tonight the room was empty, as everyone stayed with those they loved the most, celebrating their lives and mourning in solidarity with the ones who knew them best, understood what they had lost.

Harry led her over to his familiar bed, the covers already thrown back from when he'd leapt out from under them to get to her when he had heard her screaming downstairs. They climbed onto the soft mattress together, still fully dressed in their battle ravaged clothing, after months of sleeping on a hard cot it felt like heaven. With a flick of his newly restored phoenix feather wand he closed and silenced the curtains of the bed so they wouldn't be disturbed until they were ready to face the world again. They had given enough, this time was for them, their small little pocket of peace. Hermione pulled the covers over them and they fell asleep holding one another, neither having another dream the rest of the night.

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A/N: Well that's it for now, hope you liked it and remember to please leave a review.

Love Always,

The Broken


	4. Chapter Three: Aftermath

A/N: Another chapter for you my loves, enjoy.

The Broken

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Chapter Three: Aftermath

The next couple of months were a flurry of activity and tears. They had to endure public appearances, received honors and awards they didn't want, and there were the funerals (they'd gone to as many as they were physically capable, after all nobody could be in two places at once), the trials (most of which they had been called or volunteered to offer testimony for), and they spent a large portion of their time helping to cleanse and rebuild the school. They traveled back and forth from Hogwarts to London almost daily. They'd gained permission after that first night to continue their temporary residence in Gryffindor Tower by the newly instated (by landslide vote) Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, who, was more than eager to help them work through the aftermath of the war they had spent years fighting, as they slowly tried to fix the world they had helped to save.

Kingsley Shacklebolt had been named the interim Minister of Magic and had often had to call on the duo, with Ron of course, the Golden Trio, as they had been dubbed by the press, for a wide variety of things, the least of which being their testimonies to the Wizengamot for those who had been accused and charged with war crimes. People who had been falsely imprisoned when the Ministry fell were cleared and released, finally able to go home and rebuild their lives. Those who had been forced to act, against their will, for a cause they had never believed in were exonerated of their crimes. There were even more pardoned, and or, honored post mortem. Shockingly to the public at large, was that of Sirius Orion Black, who was cleared for the charges of which he'd been falsely accused for years, and pardoned for the ones he did (breaking out of prison, escaping, and evading capture) as they had been done in self-preservation; he had also been granted an Order of Merlin, First Class for services and sacrifice of life during the war, which Harry solemnly accepted on his godfather's behalf.

Both Harry and Hermione volunteered to testify at the joint Malfoy trial, much to the displeasure of Ron, who insisted that the lot of the deserved to rot, the family that had switched sides during (in Draco's case long before) what was now being called The Battle of Hogwarts. Draco, who had never really wanted that life and was forced to take the Mark against his will still a minor at the time, was cleared of the charges against him pending two months wandless house arrest and 48 hours manditory community service, for his efforts to defy the Dark Lord. The man who had threatened and tortured his family for their percived failure by first, ultimately refusing to complete the task given to him when he had been ordered to kill Dumbledore; and then not identifying them when they had been captured and taken to the Manor; and lastly, his open defiance on the grounds of the school when he had physically joined the ranks of the Light.

Narcissa thanks to Harry's testimony that she had lied to Voldemort when she'd been asked if he was dead in the forest, even if only so she could get to her son (who Harry had saved, a life for a life), and the fact that she was unmarked and was forced, due to her position to comply with the wishes of her husband and his master, and had largely not been a part of the dark and vile acts of Voldemort and his followers. Was given a year wandless house arrest for complacency and had the possibility of parole depending on good behavior.

Lucius was a far more difficult matter all together. He had willingly in his youth joined the Dark Lord, and willingly for most of his life commited the crimes of which he was accused, waiting until it was clear that the serpentine man he served was goin to fail to switch sides followinghis family. Even if he had, two years prior been disillusioned by his imprisonment, first in Azkaban, then his own home, as he watched the grand house of his ancestors grow as dark and twisted as the man who had taken it over, his heart no longer in the fight. He had been tortured, threatened, nearly lost his family, and immasculated in front of his own peers, his family wand taken from him.

In the end he was a shell of the man he once was, a mere ghost of the haughty, arrogant, pampered aristocrat he used to be. Even with this, his eventual defection, his immediate and unconditional surrender, and their combined testimonies on his behalf that, though he knew without a shadow of any real doubt, exactly who they were when they had been brough to his home as if handed to him on a silver platter, he hadnt handed them over, and his hesitation is what had ultimately saved them. It paled in comparison to the years he had spent as a willing participant to heinous acts. He was sentanced to no less than ten years internment in Azkaban and another five wandless house arrest, he was also made to pay an exorbitant reparation fee, that likely hadnt put even a dent in his coffers, for the pain and suffering caused in the years of his service to Voldemort.

Thanks in large part to Hermione's efforts when Harry dragged her to the Shrieking Shack after the battle St. Mungo's was able to fully heal and revive one Severus Tobias Snape. And thanks to the memories he had given Harry, and the testionies of far more than they had actually expected to speak on the man's behalf. The man who had helped as much as he could within the scope of the position the late Headmaster had left him in, in an effort to follow his orders, and save those he could. He was cleared of all charges and like Sirius before him was given an Order of Merlin, First Class for services and sacrifice in times of war. The older man was thankful, in his own way; though after the trial if looks could kill Harry would have died at least 50 different gruesome deaths, he was still in the hospital when it had happened as they were keeping him for observation after his brush with death, when they had told him that the entirety of the Wizengamot had been witness to some of his most private memories; all thanks to the young man who had done what he could to give him another chance to live his life, how he wanted, whatever it may be.

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A/N: Please, pretty please leave a review, they make me so very happy and I would very much enjoy them. I hope you like the story so far!

Love Always,

The Broken


	5. Chapter Four: Not Alone

A/N: Finally back to my writing, the move went well, but other life issues have been intervening thank you all for hanging in there with me. I hope you enjoy the update and as always remember while it may be innocent enough so far this story is rated M for a reason.

The Broken

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Chapter Four: Not Alone

The first night Harry and Hermione spent apart since the night of the battle wasn't until nearly two weeks later when they attended the funeral of Percy Weasley. They had returned to the Burrow with the gaggle of redheads and mixed others for the wake and staying long after everyone but the family had retired to their own homes, accepting the invitation to spend the night, this time staying to mourn with the family that had all but adopted them upon their entrance to the magical world. Harry spent the bulk of the evening across the den from the quiet brunette curled up in an armchair consoling the silently sobbing Ginny, who perched on his lap, face buried in his chest. Hermione had sequestered herself in a corner off to the side with Ron and the twins, doing her level best to split her attention between the three rubbing soft circles on her best friends back occasionally. Fred and George were as true to their nature as they could be during the solemn occasion, trying to joke lightly to brighten the dark mood that hung over the room, while Ron sat in his chair elbows on his knees face drawn and tired, barely engaging with the people around him as he sulked. He had no idea how to process his grief, the last time he'd communicated with his older brother they'd fought and he snapped at nearly everyone who tried to offer him comfort.

At the end of the evening when there was no point in trying to stay awake, the conversation having long since died out, and everyone's tears had been shed, the large group of people tapered out of the room, turning in for the night. Bill and Fleur were placed in Percy's now empty room, Charlie retiring to his and Bill's old room. The twins stayed in their room having closed the shop for the next couple of days so they could be with their family. And as always during many holidays past, Harry trudged up the stairs with Ron to the attic bedroom while Hermione went with Ginny to hers.

She tried for hours to sleep in the silence of the house around her, broken only by Ginny's soft snores in the bed next to her, everyone had long since fallen asleep, but she couldn't. It felt wrong sleeping in this room, alone in the low camp bed, when Harry, her rock, was several floors above her instead of by her side. When she could no longer force herself to lie there restlessly listening to the night, Hermione clambered out of the low bed and slipped on her house shoes, throwing on her dressing gown over her white camisole and light pink satin sleep pants. She silenced her feet and crept quietly from the room and down the stairs to the kitchen.

She bustled around as quietly as she could , thankful that nobody else was awake to impede her in her quest for a cup of tea. She placed a full kettle on the lit stove and sat at the large table with her cup, saucer, an infuser filled with Earl Grey leaves, some milk and the small honey jar; and waited. After what she estimated was about five minutes of listening to the large crooked house creak and settle in the warm summer air, the shaky tell-tale whistling began to issue from the kettle signifying that it was ready. A quick flick of her wand had the stove turned off and another had the pot flying to settle itself silently on the table in front of her. She took the lid off of the kettle and dropped in the full infuser clasping its thin chain around the handle.

As she was allowing the tea to steep she quirked he ears at the sound of quiet footfalls on the steps leading to the second level hallway. Hermione looked tiredly up to see Harry's messy jet black hair as he tried to creep silently down the last few steps, staring at his feet. "Honestly Harry, you're a wizard aren't you? Why didn't you just silence your feet like I did?" She asked keeping her voice low. She had to suppress a giggle casting a quick cushioning charm on the floor under him as he turned what she could only assume was supposed to be a yelp of surprise at having been caught, into a gasp and promptly fell back on his are having leapt at least three inches off the ground.

Harry clutched his hand over his heart and panted trying to calm himself. "Jesus Christ Mi, don't scare me like that!" He whispered at her his green eyes wide as he stared at her set up on the table. "You couldn't sleep either I take it?" It was a rhetorical question, as the answer was obvious but she nodded anyway and summoned anther cup and saucer from the cabinet for him.

Hermione poured their tea and set his cup in front of him as he took the seat across from her. She stood up and quickly walked into the pantry to select a tin of biscuits, he didn't like having tea without biscuits. Finding his favorite ginger newts she grabbed the large tin and shuffled her way back to her seat opening the top and settling it on the hard wood surface between them as Harry stirred his tea blowing on it before taking a tentative sip. He sighed, closing his eyes and breathing in the steam coming off of the hot drink. Hermione grabbed the honey dipper adding a generous amount to her own cup, swirling the stick delicately through the liquid before adding just a dash of milk stirring her doctored concoction, she grabbed a biscuit and placed it on her saucer next to her cup.

"Thank you, this is just what my nerves needed." Harry said leaning his elbows on the table, cup held between his hands as he eyed her over the rim. "Was it the nightmares again?" He asked. It had become normal for him to occasionally awaken in the middle of the night every couple of days or so to her screams. Very time just like on that first night he woke her, held her, soothed her and asked her to tell him about it. He noticed it tended to happen more often when they had particularly long, or stressful days, and the previous day had been nothing if not stressful, for everyone.

She shook her head and nibbled at the edge of her ginger newt contemplating how, exactly, to explain why she was up at two in the morning making a pot of tea instead of in bed asleep in Ginny's room. "I just couldn't fall asleep. I lay there forever it feels like trying to will myself to sleep, but I just couldn't. It didn't feel right, sharing a room with someone other than you." She sipped her now just warm tea for a moment before placing it back down. She perched her elbows on the solid wood of the table interlocking her fingers, she leaned forward ever so slightly so she wouldn't have to hunch, primly placing her chin on her knuckles, she stared him down. "Why are _you_ up?" She asked countering the question.

"Much the same reason as you actually, although there were a few times I was able to manage to doze off, but every time I did I saw their faces. Sirius, my mom, my dad, Cedric, Dumbledore, Tonks, all of them and I couldn't find rest. I couldn't save them Mi, and it haunts me." He sighed wearily finishing off his cup before pouring himself another from the kettle which at some point Hermione had charmed to stay hot, adding his milk and honey. He grabbed a ginger newt and dunked it into the steaming liquid before taking a bite.

"Hmmm I can understand that, I see some of them too when I sleep. It's not bad exactly, it's just unnerving, sort of makes me restless." Hermione admitted to him drinking her own tea and nibbling her biscuit. He nodded. "I think it's a type of survivors guilt. We made it but so many were far more talented and experienced lost their lives due to unfortunate circumstance, it doesn't help that we knew so many if them personally."

"I suppose," Harry sighed placing his once again empty cup back on its saucer. "We should probably go back up though, even if we can't sleep, we don't need to worry Molly by being down here all night." He looked in the general direction of the ceiling with resignation. Sleep, for both of them, if it ever came that night, would not be easy. She nodded solemnly back at him banishing the last of the tea and waving her wand in a fluid motion to clean the evidence of their nighttime tea party.

Harry walked her up the first couple flights of stairs and dropped her off in front of Ginny's door with one last hug and a gentle kiss to her wild curls, wishing her sweet dreams before turning on his heel and ascending further into the reaches of the quiet house full of soundly sleeping people. Hermione's shoulders dropped as she turned to face the door behind her. _Fucking propriety and convention be damned, he's my best friend, it isn't as though we'd do anything sordid if Molly let us share a room for one night." _She scowled, sometimes the Wizarding World was so old fashioned it was ridiculous, and yet, in other areas so very liberal. A world of contradictions.

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A/N: Thank you for reading please leave a review and hope you enjoy the update!

Love Always,

The Broken


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